>> thanks for joining us. >> have a good night. we'll see you again in half an hour. >> bye. tonight on "world news," hot seat. a billionaire father and son defend the empire. saying, they are sorry. but rupert murdoch's wife defends the 80-year-old titan from a man wielding a pie. hothouse. 20 million americans in temperatures high as the tropics. steamy fog on the beach. and cars so hot, a steak cooks on the dashboard. fever pitch. americans sound off about gridlock among politicians. and we take your comments straight to the top. avoiding alzheimer's? tonight in healthy living, do you know the seven simple steps that might keep you from getting the disease? and live bigig one gutsy woman decides to challenge the limits of middle age. her 60-hour nonstop swim with the sharks, a rallying cry for every life.

good evening. the 80-year-old global power broker rupert murdoch called this the most humble day of his life. and we watched him called to account in front of british parliament, for the scandal that next to him, the son he had once hoped would bebeis successor. and there, right in the center, in the pink jacket, rupert murdoch's wife, who played a surprising role when a heckler with a pie tried to attack her husband and she moved in. it is hard not to see what happened today as a kind of shakespearean drama. and jeffrey kofman was there watching it all in london. jeffrey, good evening. >> reporter: and good eveving to you, diane. that's right. it was a very public family drama. a dynasty given a chance to salvage its reputation and scrambling to save itself in destruction.

rupert murdoch and his son couldn't stop apologizing throughout the afternoon.. but while we heard a lot of humble pie, there was a different kind of pie that stole the show. james murdoch was about to answer a question when suddenly on the left, it was so fast, it was hard to see what happened. but look again. slowly. a man with a paper plate coverer in shaving cream takes aim at rupert murdoch, muttering, "you greedy billionaire." the woman in pink, murdoch's 42-year-old wife, wendi deng, slaps the assailant, who falls backward. the man, a self-described comic, was arrested. this is a day rupert murdoch and his son did not want to see. they were summoned to answer questions from politicians about the scandal that has rocked this country. >> mr. murdoch, do you have anything you want to say to the victims of phone hacking? >> reporter: allegations of widespread criminal activity by reporters at murdoch's shuttered tabloid, "the news of the world," and a cover-up involving politicians and the police. listen to this, from a man infamous for his ruthlessness and arrogance.

>> this is the most humble day of my life. >> reporter: there they were in matching suits, shirts and ties, the patriarch and the heir apparent of one of the world's mightiest business dynasties. rupert murdoch, born in australia, age 80, an american citizen, presides over a global empire with $33 billion in revenue. father of six children from three marriages, he's the boss, but the buck does not stop with him and he is not planning to step aside. >> because i feel people i trusted betrayed the company and me and it's for them to pay. i think that, frankly, i'm the best person to clear this up. >> reporter: at his side, , mes, born in london, age 38, an american citizen. runs company operations in europe and asia. when he was younger, he was the family rebel. now, if he can hold on, he'll take over from his dad. >> if i knew then what we know now, we would have taken more action around that and move

faster to get to the bottom of these allegations. >> reporter: it was james who did most of the talking, coming to his father's aid as he stumbled. and, what about the woman who saved her husband from humiliation? she is wendi deng, born in china, four years older than her step-son, an american citizen. she became rupert murdoch's third and fiercely loyal wife in 1999. and the other theme that we heard over and over today from murdoch, father and son, was that they simply didn't know. they had no idea of this alleged criminality that was so widespread at "the news of the world." they said had they known, they would have moved to stop it long ago. diane? >> jeffrey, thank you. and there is one more thing we noticed. there was one audience that gave a kind of minute by minute review of the proceedings today. take a look at what happened to rupert murdoch's stock price during his testimony. it kept ticking higher. at the end of the day, shares of news corp. rose more than 5%,

restoring $2.15 billion of the $8 billion lost so far in the scandal. and we move on now to the 200 million americans feeling the real heat tonight. sweltering in dangerous extremes. the smothering wall of hot air and humidity baking 36 states, making the air feel like almost 120 degrees. abc's matt gutman is in the heart of the heat, oklahoma city, where the temperature has been 100 or higher for almost every day this month. a good sweltering evening to you, matt. >> reporter: and to you, diane. this is camp shiloh, and like the rest of oklahoma city, it's staggering through its 23rd consecutive day of triple digit heat. but it feels hotter than that. check out this thermometer. it reads 125 degrees on the grass. and we heard it was so hot, that you could actually cook a steak on the dashboard of a car. so, we gave it a try, and in just a couple of moments, we'll show you what happened. the deadly heat that's batteteng the country's midsection has so

far set or broken 1,000 records this month alone. it kicked up this towering dust storm in phoenix and left roads buckling on highways from texas all the way to minnesota. this camp is sweating through its 88th summer. c's chris bury spoke to its camp director. >> this is the hottest week on record here at the camp. >> reporter: in chicago, the heat stirred up this soupy fog, dangerous enough to chase swimmers from lake michigan. this noaa map shows the heat gobbling up most of the country like a virus. indeed, on average, the heat kills more americans than hurricanes or tornadoes. here in oklahoma city, five highways buckled this month. last year, zero. >> you have that concrete that's expanding in this extreme heat and, of course, it doesn't have any place to go. you can't go down because of the base and so it has no choice but to pop up. >> reporter: and kids with no choice but to head indoors. >> let's go, it's too hot. >> reporter: how hot is it?

we just took this juicy t-bone out of the fridge. we're going to see if we can cook it on the dashboard of this car. i parked it about ten minutes ago. and already -- dashboard reads 151 degrees. we came back about two hours later. 195 degrees. experts say this is cooked enough to eat. and this is the steak, diane. now, i can't say that i would eat it but it is cooked. in fact, it's probably about medium well, diane. >> well, never seen that before. thank you, matt. and two hours, you said, to do it. thank you, matt gutman. and now, you speak out. we are hearing it from every corner of the country and tonight, our new abc news poll drives it home. americans telling washington you are furious at the continued squabbling among politicians. 80% of you dissatisfied and angry with the federal government. and that's a 20-year high.

republicans bearing the brunt of the blame. 67% disapprove of the way republicans in congress are handling the economy. 57% disapprove of the president. and that countdown clock shows the economic time bomb is still ticking towards default, two weeks from today. so, abc's jon karl took your messages straight to the lawmakers in the middle of the mess. jon? >> reporter: yes, diane. we have -- we went and talked to members of congress in both parties in both chambers, gave their reaction to what they're hearing in terms of the anger from the american people. a group of freshmen house republicans descended on the white house today demanding the president come up with a plan to deal with the debt. >> don't keep shirking your responsibility. >> what is your written plan? >> reporter: but across the country, voters are telling washington they're disgusted with all sides. >> they need to get off the dime. >> we've had enough. we want you to work together. >> get it done. for god's sakes. >> reporter: we went around capitol hill to put your concerns directly to those in

power. starting with democratic senator mark warner of virginia. senator, this is peggy lemons from richmond, virginia. >> if we're really not careful, we're going to end up with a depression that is far worse than the one that our parents and our grandparents lived through. >> reporter: can you realistically say anything to her that will reassure you about this process? >> i can assure you one thing, i'm every bit as worried as peggy is, probably more. i'd say to peggy, if we don't get this fixed, all of us ought to get fired. >> reporter: utah republican orrin hatch says no way to any tax increases. >> i think it's a disgrace that the politicians can't get the budget together. >> reporter: don't you have to stop blaming the other side and actually working with the other side? >> not when they're wrong. not when they're wrong. >> reporter: allen west is a tea party republican. >> i would like to see congressmen and senators stand there and not have a little d or a little r in front of their names. >> reporter: you guys aren't even talking to each other. she's right about that, right?

>> you're standing here with a guy that's not willing to put the credit of this country at risk. you're standing with a guy that's not willing -- >> reporter: but you'll vote against a debt ceiling increase. >> absolutely. >> reporter: emanuel cleaver is a liberal democrat. is comomn sense going to prevail? >> well, we don't t ve a lot of chon sense here on capitol hill right now. and the public contributes to that by supporting people who are obstinate. >> so, jon, what happened today? any forward movement? >> reporter: there was a first glimmer of hope, diane. a bipartisan group of senators presented a plan, $3.7 trillion in deficit reduction, including a mix of revenue increases, deep spending cuts. 50 senators were there from bott parties. a lot of positive statements said about it. but don't bank on it, diane. i'm also hearing a lot of criticism of this plan, being looked at. leadership in either party seems to like it. >> those poll numbers and anger going to keep rising. thank you, jon karl. and now, the two most dangerous terrorists on earth, about to join forces.

u.s. officials tell abc news that top al qaeda leader ayman al zawahiri and american-born terror leader anwar al awlaki will soon announce what amounts to a terrorist merger. their joint targets, reportedly american sites abroad, easier to hit than the ones here at home. and we have just learned of a drama, a near miss, days after the raid that killed bin laden. abc's defense expert martha raddatz with exclusive details. >> reporter: it is here on these dangerous streets where, over the years, we have watched al qaeda flourish. and leading them? anwar al awlaki, the terrorist officials say is the most likely to launch the next successful attack against americans. last may, u.s. officials tell abc news that the u.s. military dispatched harrier jets, predator drones and a special operations aircraft to follow a pickup truck in which awlaki was a passenger.

but this mission would be marred by what an official described as a series of errors. crews tracking awlaki were unable to keep the laser, which guides the weapons, honed in on the moving truck. the first missile came from the special operations aircraft. it missed. that gave awlaki time to call additional al qaeda operatives for help. more missiles were fired from the harriers and predator. a huge fireball engulfed the truck but u.s. military trackers sat ststned as they watched the truck drive right out of the fireball to safety. the aircraft tried to keep tracking awlaki, but between the cloud cover and confusion in the air, awlaki managed to switch vehicles. when the u.s. finally did hit the original truck after three failed missile strikes, two of his operatives were killed, but awlaki disappeared. still, the number one target.

martha raddatz, abc news, washington. and still ahead right here on "world news," a new battle plan to avoid alzheimer's. seven things you can do right now. boomer couples. inventing a new kind of marriage, apart, but together? and 103 miles in shark-infested waters. someone we all know issuing a challenge for everyone at the age of 61. [ male announcer ] imagine facing the day

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is greater. and, of course, the one that always sends us grabbing for the crossword puzzle. if you don't regularly s smulate your mind. the good news is that these are all things that can be treated or change. which is why today's news was viewed as a call to action. >> i'm very excited about this study. it's not to complete answer. but take the things you can do something about and do that and you'll be better for it. >> reporter: if the researchers are right, and this s st of seven risk factors really do play a big role in developing alzheimer's, then there's reason to hope. the researchers say if everybody reduced their risk factors by 25% -- smoking 25% less, exercising 25% more -- then half a million new cases of alzheimer's could be prevented. so, are you telling us today that you believe that alzheimer's disease can be prevented? >> if you look at it as a part of a comprehensive look at brain health, yes. >> reporter: so, the message hy. tonight? throw out those cigarettes. reach for the crossword. and get off that couch.

it's good for your body today and possibly your mind tomorrow. liliey davis, abc news, new york. and coming up, boomer couples and the good life. reinventing what it means to be married. i'm phil mickelson, pro golfer.

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every day and the boomers who have changed the rules in every other decade of their lives are now inventing a new kind of marriage. together, but apart? here's abc's claire shipman. >> reporter: side-by-side through life, hand in hand growing older. that was supposed to be the best thing about retirement, right? think again. et the chatfields. jane chatfield thrives on the rich bustle of city life. >> i love, i suppose, first of all, being around young people. all those young ponytails bobbing up and down as they stay in shape. the rowers on the river. that's gorgeous. >> reporter: she and her husband john spent most of their marriage a team. upon retirement, they looked toward maine, his favorite haupt. >> we had the first conversations about retirement to maine sometime before we were married. >> reporter: but a funny thing happened on the way to a full-time existence there. he loved it. she didn't, especially the winters. wasn't exactly what you had hoped for. >> i got through the first

winder and i felt, all right, i can do this. but that sort of a sense of a person stranded who said, "yeah, i can hold on a little longer." >> reporter: so, jane decided to make cambridge, massachusetts, her winter home. >> there are times when i miss her very, very much. >> reporter: do you think your relationship has grown stronger, because of this arrangement? >> i think i've been less wimpy. i realize the time we're together, i can be more articulate about what i really need or want or would like and i think you respect me more because of that. >> well, it's certainly true. > can beat you up. >> it's a different generation of women that want to have a voice. it's no longer just adjust iingo the husband's, quote, retirement. i think we're going to see more livingngogether but apart. >> reporter: and the chatfields aren't alone. while jim is at home pursuing his passions, working at a

museum or biking, susan's in honduras, volunteering for months at a time, or living in san antonio, helping underprivileged kids. the lesson? >> if your spouse is happy and content in their heart, then your relationship is extremely strong. >> reporter: now, the rosses celebrated their 31st wedding anniversary this week, so, this kind of trend, separation, may actually give wedding vows a boost, which is good news, diane. because a third of boomers say they can't desigh, can't agree where they want to retire and even bigger percentage say didn't they can i agree on a financial plan. and that's up tomorrow. money. >> finances tomorrrrow. thank you, claire. and coming up, an athlete is back. diana nyad issuing a new challenge to everyone in their 60s.s simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms.

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here she tells you. >> turning 60, for the first time in my life, threw me into kind of an angst of worry and regrets over what i had not done through the course of my life and how little time, how much choking little time there would be left. and i decided to reach out for something that would take commitment. that would take everything in me. and i decided one day, a light bulb went off, and you know what? since that day, i haven't had one day of regret or one worry about how little time there is left. because i'm that immersed in the moment. that's the message. live your life big. burn the candle large. it's not a sensationalistic statement to say the sharks here are dangerous. they are aggressive, they are curious, and they for thousands of years have heard a fluttering on the surface to mean to them, dinner bell. it's going to be at daunting task. i feel confident. on the other hand, i'll admit to you, i feel afraid. when i tried to swim before in

1978, i was 28 years old. i didn't have as much fat on the body. on the other hand, at this age, i do feel a little more bullish. so, i think in an emotional mental sort of stance, i'm at an athletic prime at even just one month shy of 62. so, when i go to sleep at night, i say, how much more could i put into this day? nothing. that's the way i want to live. >> diana nyad, in training now. she should launch in another couple of weeks. we'll let yoyoknow when. thank you for watching. we're always on at abcnews.com. "nightline" later. and we will see you here tomorrow night. tonight the brutal murder of an off duty sheriff deputy. why no charges are penning against the man who killed his killer. >> the unfinished business of an east bay contractor. owners of this house haven't been able to live here for a year. >> m sacramento, amazon gets the okay to start gathering

signatures to overturn california's new online sales tax law. retail stores are getting ready to fight back. >> and breaking news from washington. a house passes a measure to cut a balance the national debt crisis. >> good evening, everyone. >> and i'm dan ashley. an off duty sheriff's deputy is shot and killed. >> he was trying to help a friend deal with violent threats from an ex-boyfriend but when he showed up at the friend's house, he was shot and killed. and mark matthews is live at the scene. >> this double homicide began as a relationship break up between a 28-year-old novato man and his 22-year-old who lived in the house behind me. nine days ago